Firework Season Advice

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With Halloween and bonfire night drawing close, there can be many bright lights, loud noises and daunting new sights for our pets including of course fireworks! Fireworks are also no longer limited to Bonfire Night, lasting well past Christmas and into the New Year, so it is important to think now about how this impacts our pets. Managing these fears is also really important to prevent an increased fear response year after year. This cumulative fear can progress into other noise phobias, e.g. traffic and thunder and as a result, it is important to try to address these sensitivities sooner rather than later.

Signs of anxiety/noise phobia

  • Vocalisation
  • Hiding
  • Shaking
  • Panting
  • Excessive Salivation
  • Pacing
  • Destructive behaviour

It may feel daunting to some pet owners trying to manage their pets anxiety during this season, however, there are several simple strategies to help pets feel more relaxed and comfortable during stressful times, beginning with effective management of the home environment. It is also essential to develop an appropriate plan early, ensuring that it is in place before any anticipated stressful events.

Environment

  • Keeping cats and dogs indoors once dark and keeping windows closed can help reduce the risk of them being scared by unpredictable fireworks. If you are aware of pre-scheduled firework events try to ensure your pets are in during this time and if out walking avoid off lead activity in case they panic and run away.
  • Creating a safe haven/den is very important so your pet can retreat to a safe, quiet area when nervous, preferably away from the windows. The den should be easy to get in and out with all the sides covered, except one to make them feel secure. It is important that there are toys present, particularly chew toys for dogs as chewing can help dogs relax. Food and water should also be present, so they do not have to leave the protected area. Some radio stations will play calming music
    to help during fireworks time too, which can be useful to have in the background.
  • Whilst it may seem natural to want to comfort a fearful pet, it is counterproductive. By attempting to comfort them, we only reinforce their worry that there is something to be concerned about. Our pets are very sensitive to our emotions so if we are confident and relaxed, it tells our pets to be confident and that there is nothing unusual to be afraid of.
  • It can be very frustrating if fearful pets are destructive or soil in the house but remember never to scold or punish a fearful pet as it could make their phobia worse.

Supplements

  • Pheromone treatment: there are synthetic pheromones available for cats and dogs which aid to relax and reassure them. Multiple products exist in a range of formulations including plug-in diffusers, collars and sprays. .
  • Nutraceuticals: food supplements are available which are designed to help calm in a natural, non-medicated way.

Medications
In selected cases where the phobia is severe and the above advice is not enough, medications can be added to the management as well. These are classed as anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) medications, which help them relax but some can also erase any fearful memory of events and therefore help prevent the year-on-year escalation of behaviour. In the past, strong sedatives have been used to combat noise phobia but this is now known to be unhelpful as a sedated pet is still scared, they are just unable to move around, express normal behaviours or go to their safe haven’ and so lose their ability to cope at all and this can lead to more dangerous fearful behaviours in the future.

Looking forward
In the long term, desensitization can be employed to expose dogs to a variety of sounds, including fireworks and thunder, at varying volumes. This process can help dogs become accustomed to these noises and even associate them with positive experiences, such as treats or praise. It is essential to use these sound CDs correctly, so consulting with a vet, before starting the program is advisable. A valuable resource for this approach is the Dogs Trust – Sounds therapy and firework training.

Other pets
It’s important to consider rabbits and smaller pets as well, particularly those housed outdoors. Covering their hutch, providing additional bedding and hiding spaces, or bringing them indoors can be effective measures to ensure their comfort and security during stressful events.

If you wish to discuss any of the above further or feel your pet needs further support please contact us to book a veterinary consultation on 01606 880 890 or
01606 717969.

Brave Pet of the Month…Monty!

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Monty is a 12-year-old cat who came for a check-up at Hollybank Vets after he became lethargic and did not want to play or fight with his sister. He had also lost weight and been sick a few times.

During the examination, there were a couple of findings; pale gums, an abnormal feeling area in his abdomen and a heart murmur of long standing. It can be difficult to know how relevant each of these findings are in relation to the presenting problems so firstly, to follow up on the pale gums, we ran some blood and urinary tests. These showed no concerns in relation to the pale gums but did show some electrolyte changes and glucose in his urine.

One of the electrolyte changes was low potassium. A condition called Conn’s syndrome, also known as primary aldosteronism, presents with low potassium and can cause weakness and lethargy. As this was one of Monty’s clinical signs we explored it further. As the syndrome is also associated with a high blood pressure, Monty next had his blood pressure measured however this was normal!

As Monty’s symptoms couldn’t be explained by the initial tests, we elected to do further investigations and we booked an ultrasound specialist to come and scan Monty’s abdomen. This would also follow up on the abnormal feeling area in his abdomen. The ultrasound scan revealed that not all of Monty’s abdominal organs were in his abdomen where they should be, and some were now sitting in his chest! An X-ray showed that there was a diaphragmatic hernia or rupture present.  This is where a hole in the muscle of the diaphragm has formed, which allows organs such as loops of the small intestine and the spleen to move through to the chest.

The diaphragmatic rupture was an unexpected finding as Monty was breathing normally. Usually, cats with abdominal contents in their chest would be dyspnoeic (have difficulty breathing) as there isn’t as much room for the lungs to expand. We suspected that this was the reason for Monty’s recent lethargy and his owner did recall him falling with some force when jumping onto the table at home, which could have been when the trauma happened. Possibly the hernia had been present for some time, but then the traumatic fall had caused some or more organs to move into the chest.

Monty needed surgery to repair his diaphragmatic rupture. As Monty had an unusual presentation it was possible that the closure may be complicated so our visiting soft tissue surgeon came to Hollybank to perform the surgery. Monty’s surgical repair went really well and the surgeon replaced the organs into his abdomen.

When the surgeon was able to see the ruptured muscle they could tell that it was a chronic injury, and this supported the theory that the rupture had been present for a while, but with the organs moving through to the chest more recently. The surgeon also placed a chest drain for Monty allowing us to remove any postoperative air and fluid build-up that may occur in his chest facilitating a smooth and comfortable recovery for him.

After waking up from surgery, Monty showed improvement, ate well, and seemed brighter than before. Monty stayed in the hospital for four days to receive the nursing care he needed which including management of his chest drain. Once his chest drain was removed he was sent home with pain relief to continue his recovery.

Monty is currently doing very well at home, back to causing trouble and fighting with his sister!

Veterinary Nursing Careers at Hollybank

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Charley tells us about her experience on placement at Hollybank:

From a young age, I was always surrounded by animals. Growing up in a household full of pets, I always knew I wanted a career that combined my love for animals with my passion for healthcare.


During my time on placement, I’ve enjoyed applying what I’ve learnt from theory to real life cases. From learning to take and read x-rays, placing IV catheters, conducting nursing appointments, scrubbing into surgery, nursing inpatients and even monitoring anaesthesia. Each task, no matter how small, was a step towards becoming a competent and confident veterinary nurse.

One day, I had the opportunity to assist in providing emergency care to a dog that had been involved in a collision with a car. It was nerve-wracking, but seeing the dog recover and return home healthy was an incredibly rewarding moment for me.

The journey has not been without its challenges. Balancing the demands of coursework, clinical placement and personal life was often a juggling act. There were often moments of self-doubt, especially when facing difficult cases or dealing with the emotional toll of losing a patient. It’s one thing to read about euthanasia in a textbook, and quite another to be present in the room, supporting a grieving owner as they say goodbye to their beloved pet. These moments were heart-
wrenching and required a level of emotional resilience I had not yet developed.

Reflecting on my placement, I realize how much I have grown both professionally and personally. I have been challenged in ways I would have never anticipated, but it also provided me with invaluable skills and insights that will guide me throughout my career. With the help and support from an incredible team, this placement has been more than just a learning opportunity; it has been a foundation on which to build my future in veterinary nursing.

We currently work alongside Harper Adams University and Reasheath College Univeristy in supporting their students on placement.